Nick, Patrick, Greg and Calum sit down to talk about FlightSimExpo 2021 from both an in-person and online-only perspective.
Earlier this week, we asked whether Microsoft would be attending FlightSimExpo 2021 this year in San Diego. Following on from that, we sat down with Evan and Phil, Co-Founders of the event, and discussed that and more.
Sadly, Evan and Phil weren’t able to bring good news during our conversation and did confirm that Microsoft would sadly be unable to commit to the show this year. Whilst the duo at FlightSimExpo put forward a number of ways they could be involved, in person or online, it just wasn’t the right time for Microsoft to be involved. Whilst this is undoubtedly a shame, there will still be plenty of Microsoft Flight Simulator content on display from other developers who are exhibiting.
Beyond the discussion around Microsoft, we also spoke about how COVID-19 has had a big impact on the show, what exhibitors the pair are looking forward to seeing at the show and also how the online event will work this year.
As always, the most important element of the show is the community. Being there in person to talk to fellow enthusiasts, share ideas, try new hardware and more is super exciting. The team knows that there will be some trepidation this year, but that they will continue to follow local/federal advice, whilst ensuring people feel comfortable at the show.
Remember, you can pre-register for your tickets on the FlightSimExpo website. There is plenty of flexibility should you need it. Tickets to the in-person show start at just $25.00.
In this video, we see how Virtual-Fly handles the more abusive kind of flying.
YOKO+: https://www.virtual-fly.com/en/shop/controls/flight-sim-yoke-yoko-the-yoke-plus
RUDDO+: https://www.virtual-fly.com/en/shop/controls/ruddo-step-on-for-real
TQ6+: https://www.virtual-fly.com/en/shop/controls/tq6
V3RNIO: https://www.virtual-fly.com/en/shop/controls/v3rnio-lc-tpm
Please help us in welcoming Spencer to the video team! Spencer has been involved with flight simulation videos on YouTube since 2009. He also founded a community video site called myFlightDirector. He is excited to explore his passion in flight simulation and having a great flight sim experience with all of you!
Produced By Spencer, SJT375
If you’re still unsure as to whether you should pick up a copy of our third edition of the magazine (you should), this short video is intended on demonstrating the quality of the product we are producing.
We’re excited to announce the third edition of FSElite magazine is on the way and it’s our best issue yet! But while the team puts the finishing touches on the magazine, I want to briefly show you the quality and feel from our previous issue.
Each page is printed on super high-quality premium paper stock. Using 170gsm paper for the inner pages and premium 300gsm for the cover, this is more akin to a brochure than just your usual magazine. Each page is then finished with a stunning matte lamination which really makes those colours pop. Perfect for those amazing flight simulation imagery featured throughout.
Issue 3 will be packed with timeless original content. Perfect your landing skills with our tips and tricks guide, community interviews with real-world pilots and YouTubers, and exclusive interviews from leading developers such as Orbx, Virtual-Fly and more.
Ordering today will give you the benefit of receiving a free digital copy, a discounted rate and being the first to get your hands on a copy. Finally, those who pre-order get an exclusive flight sim related A3 poster to pin to their wall.
Get yours now from our dedicated website. Full details on what to expect can be found on the store page.
Constantly scanning the sky is an integral part of flying. It’s for safety but also to take in the sites all around you. With that in mind, I want to show you how you can get awesome head tracking in your flight simulator with just a webcam and $3. You might wonder how this method compares to TrackIR. The short answer is that it’s not as precise as TrackIR, but still an excellent alternative that’s left me with almost no complaints.
For those who don’t know, TrackIR is the leading head tracking device on the market costing $149. TrackIR uses a camera and Infrared to track the movements of your head. It’s accomplished by mounting a camera in front of you and wearing the infrared light on your head. This allows you to look all around the cockpit and lean towards your instruments.
The method we’ll talk about today uses your web cam to track the movement of your face rather than infrared light. This is done with software called FaceTrackNoIR. This software tricks the simulator into thinking TrackIR is being used. The camera I’m using is the HD Pro Webcam C920, but any modern webcam will do. Your monitor should provide enough light, but if not, try to light your face as much as possible. This will increase the accuracy of the head tracking.
Once you open FaceTrackNoIR for the first time, you’ll need to configure your webcam. Click “Options” at the top left of the window and then proceed to “Webcam Utility.” From there, click “Devices” and your webcam should be recognized in the drop down menu.
Now that you’ve set up your webcam, you can go back to the main window. Here you will see various options that you can apply to the tracker. “Profile” allows you to save your settings and load them in at anytime. You might want to do this if you have different configurations for various sims. I use “faceAPI V3.2.6” for tracker source, “Accela Filter Mk2” for filter and “FreeTrack 2.1” for game protocol. I also set my smoothing to 30 samples and I invert the pitch axis. Lastly, you can adjust the curves for each axis.
When everything is set, you can click “Start” under GO!. You should now see a black and white video of your face with a yellow overlay tracking your head movement. This shows how your face is going to be tracked in the simulator. Always remember to click “Start” prior to opening the simulator. Otherwise it might not recolonize that you are using head tracking and you will have to restart the sim.
When it comes to compatibility, I’ve tested FaceTrackNoIR on Prepar3D v4.4, X-Plane 11, Aerofly FS2, DCS World 2.5, and IL-2. Each sim functions slightly different but they’re all very close in functionality. This is where you might want to start saving profiles for each sim. The head tracking works right away upon loading Aerofly FS 2, DCS World, and IL2. With Prepar3D and X-Plane 11, there is just a couple of extra steps to make the head tracking work.
For X-Plane 11, it helps to have the plugin X-Camera, which is free to download. But if you want your settings to save, you do need to purchase a license. Otherwise the free version works great for Track IR, as long as you’re okay with re-positioning the camera each time you open X-Plane. To turn the head tracking on, simply open the X-Camera control panel and check the “Enable Track IR” and “Retain Mouse Look Position” boxes. If the camera is not aligned correctly, you can use the arrow keys and mouse to center your view.
Prepar3D follows nearly the same process. The most efficient way to use head tracking in P3D is with camera software called ChasePlane. The head tracking should work automatically, but if not, click “Preferences” on the left and make sure “Enable Head Tracking (TrackIR)” is checked. Again, if the camera is not aligned correctly you can use the arrow keys and mouse to center the view.
From dog fighting over the Persian Gulf, or turning base onto final; FaceTrackNoIR has made a world of difference in my flight simulation experience. TrackIR can be a costly investment but if you already own a web cam you’re just a few dollars away from turning your head inside the virtual cockpit. Have fun out there everyone, see you in the skies!
During FlightSimExpo, we interviewed the team behind the Ultimate 787 and the Ultimate 757 collection, QualityWings SImulations. They talk to us about their experiences at the show, the community engagement and also hint at possible things to come in the future.
This is part of our FSExpo 2019 content from last month in Orlando. Be sure to check out our archive hub to catch up on anything you may have missed.
In this interview we’ll speak with Keith from PilotEdge to learn how the online ATC platform operates and what it has to offer for any novice or pro.
We sit down with Marty and Ben from Laminar Research to discuss the progression of X-Plane 11 to version 11.35 and the community creations for the platform.
